Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1887-03-07
OUR REDEEMED
THE SECOND LECTURE BY BISHOP KAHN
LAST EVENING.
A Convincing Argument Of the Divine Origin
of Our Blessed SaviOr-A Large
Congregation.

The subjects discussed in Bishop Kain's
first lecture might be summed up in these
few questions: In what state was man
created? What were the effects Of his
fallP What does redemption necessarily
imply? The answers to these questions
were a preparation for the subject OF last
evenings lecture, which treated of the
character and earthly mission OF Jesus
Christ. The purpose of this lecture was
to show how Christ is in truth our Re
deemer. Though the subject covered an
extensive field, each point was succintiy
set forth, and so distinctly rs to leave no
doubt rs TO the doctrine of the Catholic
church on n matter which, of its very ma
ture, must be of absolute importance TO
every professor of Christianity. Christ
and His religion stand or fall together.
Whoever processes Christianity must know
who its founder is, and what He has done
for the human race; and yet there are
very many protesting Christianity who
would hesitate to give correct answers,
were they INTERCEPTED, in regard
to these questions. From the earliest
ages there have been heresies which at
tackled the person and natures of the man.
God and the effect of His great
Here the Bishop unfolded the true doctrine
as enunciated by the life of Blessed Peter:
''Thou art the Christ, the Son Of the living
God" He who was addressed was one
person-the second person Of the adorable
trinity; but in that one person were two
distinct and perfect natures the nature OF
man, composed of a human body and a
human soul, the true child of the
Virgin Mary, and the nature OF God,
consubstantial to the Eternal Father, and
equal to Him in all His divine Projections.
The Bishop pointed out in forcible Ian
guage the inconsistency of those who honor
Christ as man, aye even the hoilest ana
most perfect of men, and yet deny his
Divinity. Over and over again He asserted
His divine nature, and for this assertion
his enemies threatened TO stone Him.
Because that thou being a man, makest
thyself God" But if he claimed to he
God and was not God how can
He have been the holy and all
perfect man He is represented :?
Rather should we conclude with the laws
when they threatened his life, that II he
claimed to be God and was not God, he
was surely guilty of the most horrid bias
phemy. His countless miracles are the
seal of His divinity. He is God as well as
man.
As the manhood, how has He redeemed
us? By freely Offering up His life for us
in sacrifice upon the cross. His sacrifice
was the fulfllment OF the prophecies en-
bodied in the typical sacrifice of the Old
Law. HE bore our sins in his own body.
says st. Peter, upon the tree, that we
being dead to sins, should live
to Justice; by whose stripes We were heal
ed" So, too, speaks st. Paul, writing to
Titus "He gave himself for us, that He
might redeem us from all iniquity." Ina
word, Christ Jesus offered to His Eternal
Father a true atOnement for the sins of the
whole world; His actions and sufferings,
bong those of God, were of infinite value.
Truly has He, the slain Lamb, redeemed
us to God by His most precious blood. In
u lew COStnI SeubeuteS, the DlsuOp us
posed of the heterodOx views which
have been advanced against this
Scriptural view of Christ's death
and its atOning effects in behalf of the hui
man race. But not only did Christ pay
the penalty of our sins, but He offers also
to rcinstate us in all our lost privileges
and TO restore TO us the gifts and graces OF
Paradise. He communicates to the re-
deemed n share in His own life, as the
stem communicates sap and vitality TO the
branch. 81 am the life does lie say.
Through the application of His divine
merits, man is reborn Il child OF God aud
an heir of heaven. Even the mortal
body partakeS of new and immortal life.
~ will raise him up at the last
day" BY the grace Of his Redeemer,
the Christian man is not only accounted
holy, Int he becomes hOly-a child of God
a partaker of the divine nature. Nay,
the graces OF redemption Outstripped those
conferred OH man in the garden of PARA
disc, Where sin hath abounded, grace
hath superabounded." The Bishop con
cluded by an earnest appeal to his hearers,
to ever cherish in their hearts n deep and
lively sense of gratitude for the blessings
purchased for them and offered to them
by their Divine Redeemer. How these
blessings are applied to individual souls
will he the subject of subsequent lectures.